Hoop-tightening device.



No. amass. Patented Jan. 28, I902. c. HUMMEL.

HOOP TIGHTENING DEVI GE.

(Application filed Nov. 14, 190i.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

CASPAR HUMMEL, OF .IOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

HOOP-TIGHTENING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,769, dated January28, 1902.

Application filed November 14, 1901. Serial No. 82,246. (No model.)

T0 at, whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CAsPAR HUMMEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at J ohnstown, in the county of Oambriaand State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Hoop-Tightening Device, ofwhich the following is a specification.

When barrels, casks, and the like are laid down on their sides and piledone upon the other, with their rear ends against a wall, the hoops atthe rear ends of the cask are practically inaccessible for tightening bythe means now commonly employed for tightening the hoops of casks beforethey are placed in a pile. In view of this difficulty it is the objectof the present invention to provide improved hoop-tightening means whichmay be conveniently applied to the rear hoops of casks arranged in apile, and also to arrange the tightening means so that it may be readilyfitted to the outer or front end of the cask as an-anchorage andconveniently manipulated to draw the hoop forwardly, so as to snuglyembrace the enlarged intermediate portion of the barrel or cask.

The device also includes a bracket or clamp to be applied to the chimeof a cask to form a support for the operating means, whereby power isapplied to the hoop, so as to draw the same into snug engagement withthe barrel.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangementof parts, as will be hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanying drawings,and particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes inthe form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within thescope of the claims Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing anyof the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is an end elevation of a plurality of casks orbarrels piled one upon the otherin the usual manner and showing thepresent device applied to one of the casks for tightening the rear hoopthereof. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a cask having the presenthoop-tightener applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional viewof the hoop-tightener.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawlngs. In carrying out the present invention there isprovided a bracket comprisinga substantially U-shaped clip 1, having anextension 2, through which is provided a screw-threaded opening 3 forthe reception of an adjusting screw-threaded stem 4, which is providedat its outer end with a suitable hand-wheel 5. The outer side of theclip is provided with a screw-threaded opening 6 for the reception of ascrew-threaded stem 7, having its inner end provided with an enlargedhead portion 8 and its outer end having an opening 9 for the slidablereception of a handle-bar 10. A book 11 is swiveled to the inner end ofthe adjusting-screw 4, and to this hook is connected a chain or cable 12by having one of its links engaged with the swiveled book. The outer endof the chain or cable is provided with a link or'ring 13, to which areconnected the branch chains 14, each of which is provided at its outerend with a hook 15.

In'using the present device the bracket is fitted to the outer end of acask or barrel 16 by having the clip embrace the chime at the outer endof the cask or barrel, the clamping-screw 7 being manipulated by thehandle-bar 10 so as to set the enlarged head of the screw against theinnerside'of the chime, thereby to firmly connect the clamp to the cask.After the bracket has been fitted in place the hooks 15 are engaged withthe rear edge of the rear hoop 17, the hooks being bowed transversely orshaped to fit the barrel, and then the hand-wheel 5 is operated to feedthe screw 4. outwardly, and thereby draw the hoop into snug engagementwith the larger portion of the barrel. It will here be noted that thehandle-bar 10 is slidable through an opening in the screw 7 in orderthat the latter may be conveniently turned by operating the handle-baras far as it will go and then sliding it endwise through the opening inthe screw, so that the latter may again be turned. After one portion ofthe hoop has been drawn forward into snug engagement with the cask thetightening device is transferred to the opposite side of the cask, so asto draw the opposite loose portion of the hoop into engagement with thecask,

or two or more of the devices may be applied to a single cask, so as tosimultaneously draw all parts of the hoop into snug engagement with thecask.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the presentinvention provides an exceedingly simple and effective hooptightener forcasks and the like, which is ar ranged to be conveniently fitted uponany cask regardless of the size thereof, and by engaging any of thelinks of the chain 12 with the swiveled hook 11 the device may beconveniently adjusted so as to properly engage the rear hoop of casks ofdifferent sizes.

What I claim is- 1. A hoop-tightener for casks and the like, comprisinga clamp or bracket constructed for application to one end of a cask, andcarrying means for forcing a hoop into snug engagement with the enlargedintermediate portion of a cask.

2. A hoop-tightener for casks and the like, comprising a clamp orbracket constructed for application to one end of a cask, and meanscarried by the bracket for engagement with a hoop to draw the sametoward the bracket.

3. A hoop-tightener for casks and the like, comprising a clamp orbracket constructed for application to one end of a cask, means forconnection with a hoop, and a tension device carried by the bracket andconnected to the hoop-engaging means.

4. A hoop-tightener for casks and the like, comprising a clamp orbracket constructed for application to one end of a cask, hoopengagingmeans, and a tensionscrew carried by the clamp or bracket and connectedto the hoop-engaging means.

5. A hoop-tightening device for casks and the like, comprising a clampor bracket constructed for application to one end of a cask, a tensionscrew carried by the clamp or bracket, a pair of hoop-engagin hooks, anda swiveled connection between the hooks and the tension-screw.

6. A hoop-tightening device for casks and the like, comprising a clampor bracket which is constructed for application to a barrel or cask, atension-screw carried by the clamp or bracket, a swiveled hook carriedat the inner end of the tension-screw, and a chain having one of itslinks detachably connected to the hook and provided at its outer endwith a hoop-engaging hook.

7. Ahoop-tightening device for casks and the like, comprising a clamp orbracket constructed for application to one end of a cask, atension-screw carried by the bracket, a hook swiveled upon the inner endof the tension-screw, a chain having one of its links detachably engagedwith the hook, branch chains connected to the outer end of the mainchain, and hoop-engaging hooks carried by the branch chains.

8. A hoop-tightening device for casks and the like, comprising a clampor bracket having a U-shaped clip and a set-screw piercing one side ofthe clip, a tension device carried by the bracket, and hoop-engagingmeans connected to the tension device.

9. A hoop-tightening device for casks and the like, comprising a brackethaving a U- shaped clip, and a set-screw piercing one side of the clipand provided with a handle-bar which is slidable endwise through anopening in the set-screw, a tension device carried by the bracket, andhoop-engaging means connected to the tension device.

10. In a hoop-tightening device for casks and the like, the combinationof a bracket comprising a U-shaped clip having a lateral extension, aset-screw piercing that side of the clip which is opposite theextension, and provided with a handle which is slidable endwise throughan opening in the set-screw, a tension-screw piercing the extension ofthe bracket and provided upon its outer end with an operating device, ahook swiveled upon the inner end of the tension-screw, a chain havingone of its links detachably engaged with the hook, and a pair ofhoop-engaging hooks connected to the outer end of the chain.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

OASPAR IIUMMEL. \Vitnesses:

J. P. KOLLAR, SEBASTIAN BRANDSTETTER.

